[bil]

I have a budget of about $300 to spend on a new setup. Cureently I'm using V6's but I'd like something with a wider sound stage and not so 'in your face'.

I mostly listen listen to rock, such bands as Pearl Jam, Incubus, Staid, Godsmack, Nirvana, Cold, and Tool.

I hearthe SR80's are excellent phones for rock but headroom says they need an amp.

So anyway could you guys recommend some headphones and amps I should look at. Also if anyone lives in South Florida a good place to audition the stuff.

Thanks,
-Bill

 

[kerykeion]

From hearsay, I think that the Grado SR-80 would suit your type of music fine BUT since you want something with a wider soundstage, lower-end Grados without an amp will still have the "in your face" soundstage. Also note that the SR80 can be driven without an amp, but that it would sound better with one. In fact, any headphone sounds better with a good quality amp.

However, for a wider soundstage, I would recommend auditioning some Sennheisers -- like the HD495 or HD565. Both are pretty good for all types of music...and aren't too expensive. HD495 is about $60 on the 'net. HD565 might be hard to find though...but they are around $100.

I can't recommend any amp right now although you might want to consider DIY to save money.

Good luck

 

[Gluegun]

By "In Your Face" do you mean an "Aggressive sound" or "a sound that exists only in your head"?

Because Grado's? They've got that wide soundstage....but they also have that aggressive sound. You *do* like impacting bass, do you not?

 

[bil]

By "in your face" I mean that all the vocals and instruments seem crammed together.

Yes I like the impacting bass of a drum but not to the extent that I'd fatigue of it after an hour or so. How would you compare the SR80 bass to the V6's?

-Bill

 

[Deuce_Bigalow]

How much would the HD495 be in Canadian? My local hifi store had the SR80's for like $150 I think (SR60's were $129) they also had 495's but I didn't see the price. I like the idea of impacting bass but it might be nice to have something with better build quality and other good qualities like soundstage. Coolvij, what are the 495's like? How much power do they take? How loud do they play? What is the bass like? Sorry if you said all this before, I wasn't really considering them until now. I'm really thinking of getting SR80's or 495's sometime soon. Right now I have Koss Sportapros and Sony EX70's. I usually prefer the EX70's cuz they have deeper better bass in my opinion. The sportapros can't handle some of my music cuz they have too much bloated bass.

btw, I listen to alternative, hard rock, classic rock, some heavy metal, and I may even take up classical sometime soon.

 

[coolvij]

Hmm....well, the 495 need quite a bit of power...without an amp, they have a slightly weak mid-range, TINY soundstage, and bad bass.

WITH an amp - I'm loving these cans. They are very nicce - have a beautiful soundstage, and are very musical. With the right amp, they can sound very good for rock (I have a JMT Penguin) - bass is tight and goes pretty low, highs are clear but not fatiguing, and mids are awesome!

I reccomend them to ANYONE - though I'm sure there are ppl out there who'd say that about Grado SR80s....

If you want MORE info, check out My First Impressions and Full Review on the Senn. 495s.

Hope this helps....

 

[SumB]

Quote:

How would you compare the SR80 bass to the V6's?

Tighter and better defined but not as low.

Don't worry about soundstage, soundcards can't reproduce one.

I'd describe the lower end of the Grado lineup as in your face, but still easier to listen to than the V6.

 

[Neruda]

the AKG K401 has a very wide soundstage and sounds great with rock. The SR80 has almost no soundstage in comparison. however, the AKG definitely needs an amp to sound its best. A total airhead would work fine.

 

[DarkAngel]

Bill,
It would be helpful if you told us what CD source you will use with headphones. This will determine if $300 budget should be spent on headphones only or split between headphone/ hp amp.

 

[coolvij]

If you're considering the TA - PLEASE also consider one of JMT's amps......according to most, the JMT amp is *better* by a wide margin......and JMT is nice.

Not that Headroom isn't nice.....but, JMT is really nice.

And JMT is giving me his grados

 

[dhwilkin]

coolvij, ever the unbiased source...

Actually, maybe he could find a used Sony 3000 for around $300? It'd fit his description perfectly...

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

Get the Grado SR-80s

they were my first "real" phones and i still sometimes prefer them to my Sennheiser HD600s when i want my music to sound exciting. not that the senns are boring, but they just give you the sound. they don't really add any excitement to it. and headroom doesn't know what they're talking about. the SR-80s work about as good as any headphone without an amp. and by that i mean that they don't suffer as much as most other phones without an amp. i love em, and my pair were tough as nails. well, not as tough as etys, but still.

oh yeah, etys. they're the best audio deal on the planet. period. expensive though. good luck!

 

[Gluegun]

Yea! You should *really* look at the ER4P's....

Or some of the higher end Grado's....

SR-225?

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

How would you compare the SR80 bass to the V6's? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tighter and better defined but not as low. Don't worry about soundstage, soundcards can't reproduce one. I'd describe the lower end of the Grado lineup as in your face, but still easier to listen to than the V6.

I completely agree that the SR80 are easier to listen to than the V6, but they do NOT have "tighter and better defined bass" than the V6. And since when can soundcards not produce a soundstage???

 

[lini]

bil: I'd recommend to try the new Philips HP890 or the beyerdynamic DT531. The Philips is a little brighter in the mid highs, the beyerdynamic has a bit more mid bass, but both sound quite balanced to me. And both provide more soundstage than the SR80, which is not a bad headphone either.

Greetings from SF!

Manfred / lini